Barrier film, method of making the barrier film, and articles including the barrier film

Abstract

A barrier film that includes a substrate, a first polymer layer on a major surface of the substrate, an oxide layer on the first polymer layer, and a second polymer layer on the oxide layer. At least one of the first or second polymer layers includes a siloxane reaction product of a secondary or tertiary amino-functional silane having at least two silane groups. A method of making the barrier film and articles and a barrier assembly including the barrier film are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A barrier film comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a first polymer layer on a major surface of the substrate; 
 a silicon aluminum oxide layer on the first polymer layer; and 
 a second polymer layer on the silicon aluminum oxide layer, 
 
       wherein the second polymer layer comprises a polymerized acrylate or methacrylate and a range from one percent by weight to five percent by weight based on the total weight of the second polymer layer of a siloxane reaction product of a secondary or tertiary amino-functional silane represented by formula
   (R 3 )N—[R 1 —Si(Y) 3 ] 2  
 
 
       wherein
 R 1  is a divalent alkylene group having up to 6 carbon atoms; 
 R 3  is hydrogen or methyl; and 
 Y is methoxy, 
 
       wherein the second polymer layer is formed by evaporation and vapor deposition of a polymerizable acrylate or methacrylate and the secondary or tertiary amino-functional silane in the presence of water vapor, wherein the polymerizable acrylate or methacrylate is tricyclodecanedimethanol diacrylate, triacryloxyethyl isocyanurate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, di-trimethylolpropane tetraacrylate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       2. The barrier film of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary or tertiary amino-functional silane is bis(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl)amine or N-methyl-bis(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl)amine. 
     
     
       3. The barrier film of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier film comprises a plurality of alternating oxide layers and second polymer layers on the first polymer layer. 
     
     
       4. The barrier film of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises at least one of polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyetheretherketone, polyaryletherketone, polyacrylate, polyetherimide, polyarylsulfone, polyethersulfone, polyamideimide, polyimide, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene-vinylidene fluoride copolymer, or polyvinylidene fluoride, any of which may optionally be heat-stabilized. 
     
     
       5. The barrier film of  claim 1 , wherein the polymerized acrylate or methacrylate is polymerized tricyclodecanedimethanol diacrylate, triacryloxyethyl isocyanurate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       6. The barrier film of  claim 1 , wherein the siloxane reaction product shares a siloxane bond with the silicon aluminum oxide layer. 
     
     
       7. The barrier film of  claim 1 , wherein the siloxane reaction product includes an amide bond derived from reaction between an amino group and an acrylate or methacrylate group. 
     
     
       8. A barrier assembly comprising the barrier film of  claim 1 , wherein a first major surface of the barrier film is adhered to a top sheet with a pressure sensitive adhesive, wherein the top sheet comprises at least one of an ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, a tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, a tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene-vinylidene fluoride copolymer, or polyvinylidene fluoride. 
     
     
       9. The barrier assembly of  claim 8 , wherein a second major surface of the barrier film opposite the first major surface of the barrier film adhered to the top sheet is disposed on a photovoltaic cell. 
     
     
       10. An article incorporating a barrier film according to  claim 1 , wherein the article is a solid state lighting device, a display device, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       11. The barrier assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the photovoltaic cell is a CIGS cell. 
     
     
       12. The barrier assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the second major surface of the barrier film opposite the first major surface of the barrier film adhered to the top sheet is attached to the photovoltaic cell with an encapsulant. 
     
     
       13. A method of making the barrier film of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 providing the first polymer layer on the surface of the substrate; 
 providing the silicon aluminum oxide layer on the first polymer layer; and 
 providing the second polymer layer on the silicon aluminum oxide layer.